Without trepidation, more than a dozen kids practiced their forward flips. While slung over purple hammocks that dangled from the ceiling, they bent their knees, lifted their backsides and quickly whirled their bodies head first around the fabric.

At first, little Avery Dietz had trouble mastering the move in the purple hammock, which dwarfed her 5-year-old frame.

But she didn't give up. With a little coaching and more practice, Dietz was able to whirl quickly around the hammock.

In February, Rhonda Nichols opened Studio Soar in West Lafayette, riding the wave of intrigue with aerial yoga — the fusion of yoga, circus arts, Pilates and dance. She also offers traditional yoga and pole fitness for adults.

She added camps this summer to introduce aerial yoga, pole fitness and circus arts to children.

"It's a natural fit," she said. "Kids love this stuff. There are not a lot of new and different camps for them."

The Circus Act Camp was held last week. For three hours a day, kids ages 5 to 12 learned a variety of circus-related moves including aerial yoga poses, hoop dancing and stilt walking. On the last day of camp, they were able to perform a flowing routine for their parents.

They also learned pole fitness moves like gargoyle and flag, in which the climber holds his or her body perpendicular to the pole.

Nichols said pole fitness differs from pole dance and does not incorporate sensual movements.

"What the kids are learning is the fitness piece, which is how to hold their body horizontally on a vertical pole and also how to climb it," she said. "Pole fitness is about the strength and stamina that is required to do proper technique on the pole."

Nichols and her instructors said kids actually learn advanced aerial yoga moves more quickly than adults because they have better shoulder flexibility, less apprehension and greater upper body strength in proportion to their weight.

The circus camp gave the kids an opportunity to learn and execute more difficult aerial yoga and pole fitness moves.

"It helps them face their fears and realize they can accomplish anything they set their mind to," Nichols said.

It also teaches the children that fitness can be fun and found outside traditional sports such as baseball and soccer, Nichols said.

Camp participant Mia Beck agreed. She plays soccer and basketball but has come to prefer aerial yoga and its ilk.

"I think I like this better because it doesn't feel as much like a sport as the others," said the 8-year-old.

Ella Höök participated in another aerial yoga camp at Studio Soar this summer but preferred the circus camp, she said.

"I like the circus one better because you get to do more things," said the 11-year-old. "The last one we just did aerial yoga and this one we get to walk on stilts, do hula hoop and face painting."

Nichols said the kids return to the camps because they are engaged.

"It's new," she said. "I hope they take away that they can have fun with fitness and they allow themselves to be silly, and keep experiencing new and different things."